Southington Education Foundation, Inc.

SOUTHINGTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION, INC.

Instilling a love of learning.

Scholarship Winners

2023 Scholarship Winners:
Madison Hendricks: Visual & Performing Arts Scholarship
Ryan Ogren: Dr. Joseph V. Erardi, Jr. Scholarship
Alyssa Polverari: STEM Scholarship

Scholarships

The Southington Education Foundation is proud to offer the following scholarships to graduating Southington students. Students receive information on how to apply for these scholarships during their senior year. Scholarships have been available to students since 2015.


Dr. Joseph V. Erardi, Jr. Scholarship

PROVIDER: Southington Education Foundation

QUALIFICATIONS: Graduating Southington High School senior in good standing who is furthering his or her education. The student must be civic-minded and demonstrate the desire to help school, community and/or country.

ESSAY: Provide an essay describing your involvement in school, community, and/or country and how your activities may shape your future civic involvement.

HOW SELECTED: Southington Education Foundation Scholarship Committee

VALUE: $500

AWARDED/TRANSMITTED: Upon proof of successful completion of first semester


STEM Scholarship

PROVIDER: Southington Education Foundation

QUALIFICATIONS: Graduating Southington High School senior in good standing with a desire to major or minor in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

ESSAY: Provide an essay explaining your intended college major or minor and how it relates to your career path in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM).

HOW SELECTED: Southington Education Foundation Scholarship Committee

VALUE: $500

AWARDED/TRANSMITTED: Upon proof of successful completion of first semester


Visual & Performing Arts Scholarship

PROVIDER: Southington Education Foundation

QUALIFICATIONS: Awarded to a graduating Southington High School senior in good standing with a desire to major in the Visual or Performing Arts. Categories include: Visual Arts, Music, Dance and Theater.

ESSAY: Provide an essay explaining why they selected their intended college major and how it relates to their career path in the arts. (Candidates with the strongest applications may be asked to provide either an art portfolio or a 2-3 minute performance video.)

HOW SELECTED: Southington Education Foundation Scholarship Committee.

VALUE: $500

AWARDED/TRANSMITTED: Upon proof of successful completion of first semester


Brian Goralski Memorial Scholarship

PROVIDER: Brian Goralski Scholarship Fund administered by the Southington Education Foundation (SEF)

QUALIFICATIONS: The Brian Goralski Scholarship will be awarded to any graduating Southington High School senior who is in good standing and who wakes up every day trying to do the right thing all of the time.

ESSAY: The eligible student application will include a one page narrative on why they believe they are the ideal candidate for the honorarium.

HOW SELECTED: The Goralski Family

VALUE: $1500

AWARDED/TRANSMITTED: Announced at the Southington High School Awards Program. Paid directly to the recipient after proof of successful completion of first semester is received by SEF contact.

CONTACT PERSON: Stephanie Patterson, Southington High School


2023 Scholarship Recipients

Scholarship Winners

2023 Scholarship Winners:
Madison Hendricks: Visual & Performing Arts Scholarship
Ryan Ogren: Dr. Joseph V. Erardi, Jr. Scholarship
Alyssa Polverari: STEM Scholarship

Madison Hendricks was named recipient of SEF's Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship.  This scholarship is awarded to a graduating Southington High School senior in good standing with a desire to major or minor in the arts. Madison has chosen to attend the University of Connecticut where she will major in Fine Arts with a minor in Digital Marketing and Analytics.  Madison states that Art has been a significant part of her life since she can remember.  It represents the creativity that has been her outlet for expressing her emotions.  Her AP Art classes at SHS along with attendance at the Maine College of Art's pre-college program affirmed her decision to choose Art as a career. While attending college classes, she enhanced her portfolio and developed technical skills.  During her AP Art class, she explored various perspectives on menstruation by creating 2D works to help destigmatize menstruation.  She plans to pursue the menstruation hygiene movement further.  Flag football is another activity that has played a significant part in Madison's life.  She says it has given her a sense of purpose and has played a prominent role in her developing confidence, leadership skills and as a team player.  At SHS, she was a quarterback on the Powder Puff team and is advocating for flag football to become a varsity sport.  In her essay she states, "I hope by majoring in Fine Arts, I can gain the skills and knowledge necessary to build my future career as an artist and access resources that will help me share my passion for art with others."

Ryan Ogren was named recipient of SEF's Dr. Joseph V. Erardi, Jr. Scholarship.  This scholarship is awarded to a graduating Southington High School senior who is civic-minded and who has demonstrated the desire to help school, community and/or country.  Ryan has chosen to attend Bentley University where he will major in Business Administration:  Finance and Accounting.  Ryan states that upon entering SHS, he began to  truly understand how important it is to be a change maker in the community and to value civic involvement.  To that end, his civic involvement has largely been developed throughout  his experience on the Southington Board of Education. He focused on contributing to a better school system and advocating on behalf of students.  His goal was to pursue a change of the high school's GPA and course leveling system to ensure equality for everyone. After researching SHS's and other schools' grading and leveling systems, he presented his argument for change to the high school administration.  He is proud of his contribution and collaboration with others that resulted in a revised GPA and course leveling system that was implemented for the 2022-2023 academic school year.  Ryan's other co-curricular activities include membership in the Jr. Achievement of Southwest New England and Chapter President of Future Business Leaders of America.  He states in his essay, "I am forever grateful for the experiences that Southington High School has provided, and I am eager to continue my civic engagement in my future endeavors."

Alyssa Polverari was named recipient of SEF's STEM Scholarship.  This scholarship is awarded to a graduating Southington High School senior in good standing with a desire to major or minor in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.  Alyssa has chosen to attend Worchester Polytechnic Institute where she will major in Robotics Engineering with a minor in Manufacturing.  Her interest in Robotics began at Kelley Elementary School as a member of the VEX IQ Robotics Team qualifying for the state championship two years in a row.  She continued her participation in robotics throughout middle school and onto SHS's First Robotic Team 195.  As a junior she was honored to be elected Manufacturing Department Lead by her mentors.  Subsequently, she was named Captain of Team 195, The CyberKnights.  In addition to her total involvement in robotics, she has had an avid interest in golf since she started playing at the age of six.  Alyssa stated that she continues to find herself participating in activities that are stereotypically "male-dominated".  Therefore, because  there was no Women's Golf Team at SHS, she challenged herself by jointing the Men's Golf Team where she was required to play from the men's tees!  Alyssa's extensive resume includes membership on the field hockey team, teaching STEM and leadership skills to elementary school students, tutoring for Project Lead the Way as well as volunteering in community sponsored events.  She looks forward to college and the "opportunity to create a positive impact on aspiring engineers and improve the quality of life of those surrounding me."

This is the ninth year that SEF has awarded scholarships to Southington students.


Past Recipients

 
2022 Scholarhip Winners

2022

  • Anika Mathur
  • Taylor DePaolo-Daily
  • Madelyn Lukanik
2021 scholarship recipients

2021

  • Erardi: Faith Kosior
  • Visual & Performing Arts: Jordan Cyr
  • STEM: Erin Klem
2020 Scholarships Winners

2020

  • Visual & Performing Arts: Jack Dunham
  • STEM: Emma Angelillo
  • Erardi: Joshua Maccione
2019 scholarship winners

2019

  • STEM: Rebecca Dorzens
  • Erardi: Abhiram Bhamidipati
  • Arts and Humanities: Michaela Hughes

2018

  • STEM: Chloe Becquey
  • Erardi: Julia Brilla
2017 scholarahip winners

2017

  • Erardi: Katarina Belales
  • STEM: Stephen Vollaro
2016 scholarship winners

2016

  • Erardi: Sarah Lamb
  • STEM: Emily Maciejewski
2015 Scholarship Recipients

2015

  • STEM: Erik Bergland
  • Erardi: Madison Chapman


 

Southington Education
Foundation
P.O. Box 42
Southington, CT 06489
SEF.Donations@gmail.com